Method and apparatus for securing metal strips to fabric



March 4, 1958 GOLDSMITH 2,825,384!- METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SECURING METAL STRIPS TO FABRIC Filed Jan. 4, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Mari-13' Goldsmitl;

ATTORNEYS March 4,1953 M. GOLDSMITH 2,825,384

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SECURING METAL STRIPS TO FABRIC Filed Jan. 4, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 L lllllllllillllllll INVENTOR M7773 Wolds??? {2% ATTORNEYS M. GOLDSMITH METHOD AND APPARATUS F OR SECURING METAL STRIPS TO FABRIC 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 arch 4, 1958 Filed Jan. 4, 1954 INVENT OR March 4-, 1958 GOLDSMITH 2,825,384

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SECURING METAL STRIPS TO FABRIC Filed Jan. 4, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 16,150 FKGQJZ;

United States Patent METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SECURING METAL STRIPS TO FABRIC Morris Goldsmith, Port Chester, N. Y., assignor to Elgen Manufacturing Corporation, Long Island City, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application January 4, 1954, Serial No. 402,096

19 Claims. (Cl. 153-1) The present invention relates to a machine and method for simultaneously and continuously securing two elongated metal strips to opposite side edges of an elongated strip of fabric.

An object of the invention is to simultaneously and continuously fold the edge portion of two strips of metal about opposite edges of the same strip of fabric.

A further object of the invention is to enable the production of a coil of material, the material comprising two elongated strips of metal, an edge portion of'each of which are folded into secure engagement with the opposite side edges of a single elongated strip of fabric.

It is also an object of the invention to enable the continuous bending of an edge portion of each of two continuous strips of metal while maintaining the strips in predetermined relationship, and moreover, to accomplish this at the same linear rate upon both strips while avoiding any tendency of the metal to buckle or how.

Another object of the invention is to enable a stripof fabric to be continuously and positively fed into securing relationship with the folded portion of each of the metal strips in unwrinkled condition and without any appreciable tendency to become disengaged from the aforesaid folded portions during prolonged operation of the machine.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the machine;

Figure 2 is a-fragmentary plan view with the fabric guide in section;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the fabric guide, the placing of the fabric upon the partly formed strip of metal and the first operation which leads to the securing of the metal strip to the fabric;

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the gear train employed to drive the metal forming rolls;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view showing the metal guide and the first set of forming rolls as well as the two strips of metal in operative relationship as they are being formed;

Figure 6a is a perspective representation of the shape which the edge portions of the metal strips have been forced to assume when they emerge from the forming rolls shown in Figure 6;

Figures 7 and 7a and 8 and 8a are similar to Figures 6 and 6a, respectively, and show the metal strips as they are acted upon by each successive pair of forming rolls;

Figures 9 and 9a and 10 and 10a are also similar to Figures 6 and 6a, respectively, with the exceptions that the metal guide has terminated and is no longer present and a strip of fabric has been placed upon the strips of metal;

Figure 11 is a perspective View of one form of a suit- Patented Mar. 4, 1958 able metal guide used to retain the metal strips in operative relationship to the forming rolls;

Figure 12 is a fragmentary perspective view of the product as it emerges from the machine;

Figure 13 is a'fragmentary perspective view of the product with the metal sheets unfolded preparatory for use;

Figure 14 is a fragmentary perspective view of the product in use forming a flexible connection between a furnace and the ductwork used to convey the heated air away from the furnace; and

t Figure 15 is a fragmentary perspective view showing an alternative form of pulling arms which possess a reduced tendency to cause buckling of the metal strips.

Referring to 'Figure'l of the drawing, two strips of metal 10, 19' are continuously withdrawn from a supply coil (not shown) and pulled into and through two juxtaposed laterally spaced parallel series of forming rolls indicated generally at 20. The forming rolls are driven by means of motor 11, belt 13 and pulley 19, A strip of fabric 30 is fed from a supply (not shown) and slid along an overhead chute 31 to a fabric guide 32 supported by uprights 34. A weight'33, secured to the chute 31, as, shown, is placed upon the fabric 30 and serves, together with the friction of the fabric against the chute itself, to provide suitable tension to the fabric supplied. The fabric 30 passes under idler roll 35 which presses the fabric 30; against the surface of the fabric guide 32, thus additionally reducing the danger of having the fabric wrinkle.

The two strips of metal 10, 10', together with the superimposed fabric 30 emerge from the forming rolls 20 and are permanently secured together by pressure crimping rolls indicated generally at 40. The resulting product advances beneath roller 50, contact of the product serving to rotate roller 59 to actuate a counting device 51 to indicate the length of product produced by operation of the machine.

The product as continuously prodi'ced is fastened to a coiling reel indicated generallyat 70 by leading the secured superimposed strips of metal and fabric over one of the bars 71 and under the next succeeding bar to thereby hold the advancing product by virtue -of the natural resiliency of the metal strips.

The coiling reel 70 is driven by motor 72, power from the motor being transferred to the coiling reel by means of a reduction gear 73,-belt 74, variable speed reducing device 75 and belt 76. The belt 76 is connected to a section of the variable speed reducing device 75 having a diameter of proper size to causethe bars 71 on the coiling reel 70 to advance at the same, or slightly greater, linear velocity than the product which emerges from the machine. If a slightly greater velocity is employed, slippage of belts 74 and 76 would occur and provide a constant torque to coiling reel 70 which reduces the tendency of the metal strip 1t) and 10' to slip.

After the desired length of product has been produced and coiled on coiling reel 70, the product is severed by cutting device 8%, and slid off the bars 71 on the coiling reel 70 and packaged as a coil.

In operation, the motor 11 drives the forming rolls 2!) at a rate suflicient to produce 20 feet ofproduct per Motors 11 and 72 are preferably supplied with electric current from a commoncircuit so that both may be actuated and stopped vsimultaneously with a common switch. If desired, the counting device 51 may be con:

V neete'd's-wit'h 'arr electrieal relay which hr 7 all mbunted upon table 815- i forming falls, 26

interference;

l f the-laterally spaced'foi'mingrolls and extends heyond the V the fabric 30 iri unwrinkled coridition*uponi the metal? its' leng'th andealong its width; 'Ihicurvatureoffab-f;

' ric guide 32fs ertves to prevent wrinkling of thefabric30f- 55 circuitato the motors 11' :and -72 sQtha t the.machine mayw be automatically stopped when the desired length of prodnot has been produced.

J As'gis evident from- 1 i :g'ure 4-, the juxtapesed laterally 5 spacedparallel series of-forming rolls 20} pressure crirrip ing' rolls 48, counting" device SF and Cutting devicestliare r Thetable slaas can b'eseenv.

in Figures 1' and 2f, has apertures -8z and 83 to' rec'eive the and the pr'e ssure' crimping rolls 40, re= i 10 spective ly. l 3 V l 7, With further referencetoiFigure 2, two laterally spaced parallels'eriesof forming rolls are employed; As cart be "seen from iFigure '3; eachfof' the series 'oflforming-rolls 1 contains successive mating pairsof vertically aligned roll's;' th'e' forming rolls' and-"their actionbeing more-' -clearly shown in Figures-6-10 of the drawing. V

V Themetal strips 10'and 10' are pulled into thef ormin'g 7 rolls through-fa metal guide-12 shown in perspective in Figure 11. As can be seen; the met'al guide is formed -20 inw-two'sections; in the first section 13, both lateraledges of: each of' the metal 'strips -are engaged, rtheouteraedg'es; being engagedby thezsurfa'ces 14 and the inrie'r edges -be---' ing engaged by th'e surfa'ces 15. The first sectionof the 'metaYg uide-te'rmin'ates immediately before the first set 5 V 'oispaeed fo'rming -rolls"21;' 21", the termination point 16 being; shown inFigure 2." 7 In thesecond section170f the 1 metal guide l2g only the inner edgesofthe metal :strips are engageito thereby permitV-the foi ming rolls to forrnstretching ortionsof the metal -strips1tl; -10! withont; r

the outer edge p t 'Rb1lers 21; '21 +form the outer; edge pcirtion's of thealigned metal strips'lm lfl' 'into the configuration shdwn 1 in? Figure The partially formed metalistrips which 1 'emerge frbni'th'ei formingt'rolls 21, 21' are then-engaged Z by termin rolls 22; 22' which further forrnfthe 'rnetal':

v strips intobthe configuration shown in Figure t 7afz metal s'tripmwhich 'emerge frbm: the" rolls 22; 2 2'-a'rethenstill 'fu'rther formed by forming rolls V23; 23' -which fu'nc' tio'n tojbend the outer" extremity of the metalfs'tripsfinto" anupright position as shown in Figures 8 and 8am As can be-seen f romvFig'ures'2f3 and 4,'t he fab r'ii id '32 'extends from'above to a position between "the forniing 1 f rolls 23 and '24. The-fabric" 30 slides overfthe convex surfaces oE-the guide QZ and-is thereby'intr duced into-the 'nip be'tvveenthe formingfrolls 24 24? The fabric' guide" 32, terminates in a presser tongu "36 positioned between forming "Tolls =24?! Thilstongue '36 serves-td hold 'th' fabric in ipia'ce' and additionally functions together with f the curvature'of the fabric guide 32 'to -properly -po sitipn'i strips 0, -lo'if The fabricguide 32 is curvedgibbthmlong Additiohally', the fabric; 30 is preferably providedj-with a 1 r t sewn*badededgeportitJrrateach'ofits longitudiiialedgest t s'l'li'e beaded- 'edgeportio'ns of the fabricfill; do not stretch" asreadily-as does the remainderof'the fabric 30and; ac'-- V I cordin'gly, th fact that thejabric guide 32 is-curvedalbng 7 6Q itiiiwidth; as'showu'in FigU F prevents the fabrici30 from V er' with the en en'gage d-by forming rolls'24j 24f. As

ealts the electric fahric 31$ to ride out oi its reduce it to an insignificant degree.

proper place; Forming rolls 24, 24' functionto engage-Abe outer--ex-tremity o f; metal strips 10, '10 andfold these outer extremities over upon the edgepor'tion of the fabric 30, as shown in Fig; ures 4,9 and 9a. Forming rolls 25, 25Fcontini1e this action as is clearly shown in Figures 10 and -10a.. s The product emerging-from foi ming rolls 255-29 adserve to permanentl3{ secureztheiinetai;strips 1011076 the edge portions of -ithe f abric' 30 to continuously' produc e; the; product showngin Figure- ItFiSfnOlfnCGQSShl'Y-jt) positively-drive-the-crimping rolls 41;:41r Instead',-=the W crimping rolls are rotated by passage of 'theproductthei'e- J V w en,sufficientapressureabeingt mplbyed-:tqssecurely attach the fabric 30 andthemetal sttip$. 10,-10'. 7' j 7 As is clearly shown"inFigure'flfeach of the laterally spaced vertically aligned pairs of'forming rolls are mounted upon a common shaft so that metalrstrips 10, 10"are advanced at the same rate OfspeedE- It-shbuldhe obvious that the; late'rally spac'ed forming rollsmay b separately munted if 'desiredgiifi which case',- mea nsmust te -a vided to regulate the speed'of at least one-of Sther-series g ofberiding' rolls-in respon'se to th movement of the metal olls;-'as canstripengagedby th'eother serie'siof bending r be done in -any -suitable-manner; r r W g 'T The forming action get {each series of; forr'ning rolls new game 1 oneedge-=05; each oftli metal {strips ='serves ireetien of this bewi naturallyiinia directionw' 7' awayafrom theefoimirig rblls' which are the causeof ith haw; In 'otherwords, the metal strips+10' and 10Twlrich enter'fthesformin'g rolls- 20in parallehalig'nmenttend to"? 'cross f bne anoth'er in the; coildjprodu'cti This run dsir f able tbewing :may be deduced; to an insignificant: degrees.

' thisj regar 5; section--17 *may extend: as -;faras "cutting"; dev-ic'e 801- Another way of reducin'g ;the bowing to; an?" irisig nificantdegreeis'shOwninFigure 2'-'of'the' drawing} wlie-re armsa90-and 91' are-:secured tothe table '81. "The? ,ar'ms 9i! and QI eXtend beneath the metal strips 1 01and 10 '-'and- 'engage and pull-the inner edgesrof'each of'the nieta'l strips 10 and ll): Sincethemetal- '10 iand'f V 10 areheld securelyby"thefipressure crimping'rollsi iik'f t 40 the pressure crirnping' rells act as; the ppint ffla"; 5 leverand ftlie pull-"exerted by the arm s;-90"and191=*serye1 V 16- stfetoli theeentirejmetat stripto-iwrripensate jfbi'flhfi localized stretching caused by the formingrollstothereby counteract the natural howing ofthe F eel-ms po inicausei the 'rnetalf Because "of *th e narrowwidth event resort ma be had V p g V t removal-means iillii'st ate'd 1n' Fighre-1 5jcan be seem V isglyaen'gs e the anne edge or-the metarxsuipsg: 10a; Th fi .1 11 an tached testable 81 hetw it, s ,7 outcrkpp q n, elim nates the 'ienslency pf. thetmetalg tr 5 metalstrips-and ta ss to buckle. The guides 130, 131 are shown in position in phantom lines in Figure 2.

The forming rolls are mounted upon common shafts which are journalled in side plate 92 and extend through side plate 93. Each of the side plates 92 and 93 are supported by table 81 and are each divided into an upper and lower side plate, respectively, which support the upper rollers 2125 and the lower rollers 21' to 25, respectively. The upper and lower sections of the side plates 92 and 93 are fixed in position by bolts 94 and 95 and locking nuts 96 and 97, as can best be seen in Figure 3. The material passing between the forming rolls serves to maintain the upper and lower sections of the side plates 92 and 93 in spaced relation and the locking nuts 96 and 97 serve to define the maximum permissible spacing and, accordingly, the pressure imposed upon the material by the forming rolls. Since forming rolls 24, 24' and 25, 25' have to contend with the additional thickness imparted by the fabric 30, the upper and lower side plates must be maintained more closely together by the locking nuts 96 to prevent an undue proportion of strain being placed on forming rolls 24, 24. When locking nut 96 is tightened, the strain is transferred preferentially to forming rolls 21, 21'. The foregoing difficulty may be circumvented by mounting each successive mating pair of vertically aligned rolls on separate side plates for separate adjustment.

Despite all of the foregoing precautions, variations in the thickness and surface friction of the stock material may occur, and in such event, slippage of one of the metal strips 10, may be encountered. Such slippage not only causes creep, e. g., advance of, for example, the strip 10 at a greater speed than the strip 10, but in addition, sudden and unusual stresses are imposed upon one or more of the forming rolls which may cause a failure to occur in one or more of the forming rolls or their connecting shafts. This difiiculty is usually only encountered during operation upon heavier gauge metal strips and may be mitigated by utilizing positively driven pressure rolls 42, 42 mounted upon common shafts 43, 43 of increased diameter with respect to the shafts upon which the remaining forming rolls are mounted. Pressure rolls 42, 42' are preferably mounted upon side plates separate from side plates 92 and 93 and the pressure upon these rolls is adjusted by means of locking nuts 44 on bolts 45 so that the pressure imparted by pressure rolls 42, 42 is sufficiently great to prevent the possibility of creep and is moreover adjusted to be greater than the pressure imparted by any of the forming rolls 21 to 25 and 21' to 25 to enable the pressure rolls 42, 42' and their common shafts 43, 43' to preferentially absorb any unusual strains which might occur and render unnecessary the over design as to strength and size of the forming rolls 21 to 25 and 21' to 25' and their connecting shafts. When operation upon light gauge metal only is contemplated, positively driven pressure rolls 42, 42' may be omitted and hence these rolls and their accompanying parts are shown in the drawing in phantom.

The forming rolls 21 to 25 and 21' to 25' are driven by motor 11, belt 18 and pulley 19, which is mounted upon shaft 101, which extends through plate 100 mounted on table 81. Plate 100 additionally carries shafts 102, 103 and 104, which can be seen in Figure 2. Further, shafts 101', 102', 103' and 104' are carried on plate 100 immediately below shafts 101, 102, 103 and 104 respectively. Shafts 101, 101', 102,102, 103, 103', 104 and 104' carry power transmitting gears 105, 105', 106, 106', 107, 107', 108 and 108, respectively.

As can be seen from Figures 2 and 5, rotation of pulley 19 causes rotation of gear 105, which directly drives 124 and 125 which power forming rolls 24 and 25. Gear 124 additionally rotates gear 106 which in turn causes rotation of gears 123, 107, 122, 108 and 121, thus powering forming rolls 23, 22, and 21. Gear 125 meshes with 6 gear 125 to power forming roll Gear 125 in-turn causes rotation of gears 105, 124', 106', 123, 107, 122', 108' and 121', thus powering forming rolls 24', 23', 22' and 21'.

When pressure rolls 42, 42' are employed, these rolls are positively driven by having gears 125 and 125 drive gears 46 and 46, respectively, which in turn drive gears 47 and 47', respectively. These last named gears power pressure rolls 42 and 42', respectively. The gears 46 and 46' are mounted upon shafts 48 and 48, respectively which are journalled in plate 100 and side plate 93.

The product as produced by the machine of the present invention is clearly shown in Figure 12. In use, a suitable length of the product is severed from a coil of the same and opened into the form shown in Figure 13. The metal strips are then bent into the shape of the ducts to which they are to be attached and secured thereto in any suitable manner.

A typical utilization of the product is illustrated in Figure 14 where it forms a flexible connection between a furnace F and the ductwork D which leads the heated 7 air produced by the furnace to wherever the heated air is desired. The flexible connection prevents transmission of vibration from the blower in the furnace to the ductsheets of rubber and synthetic resinous materials such as neoprene vinyl polymers and copolymers and woven and unwoven fabrics coated with rubber or synthetic resinous materials. Some of these flexible yieldable sheet materials cannot be satisfactorily sewn, in which case, a thickened margin may be employed in place of a sewn 1 marginal head.

I claim: 1. An apparatus for simultaneously and continuously attaching a single marginal portion of two elongated metal strips to opposite side edges of an elongated strip of fabric which comprises two juxtaposed laterally spaced apart parallelly aligned series of bending rolls, guide means having substantially U-shaped portions surrounding and engaging the interior edges of the two elongated metal strips to guide the metal strips longitudinally in a predetermined widthwise relationship with respect to said series of bending rolls and into gripping engagement there with, each of said oJI'leS of bending rolls engaging the outer marginal portion of one of said metal strips and be ng capable of first bending said marginal portion of said metal strip to form a side of a trough and then bending said marginal portion over upon the remainder of said strip to clampingly engage a fabric resting upon said remainder of said strip, guide means for introducing said elongated strip of fabric upon said metal strips whereby said metal strips with the fabric thereon will be advanced together between the rolls of said series of bendmg rolls which bend said marginal portions of said metal strips into clamping engagement with said fabric strip at each of its side edges.

2. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 in which said guide means for introducing said elongated strip of fabric upon said metal strips is positioned between longitudinally 1 spaced adjacent rolls of said series of bending rolls whereby sald elongated strip of fabric is placed upon said metal strips after said metal strips have been bent into the shape of a trough.

3. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 in which said means engaging the two elongated metal strips to guide the same longitudinally into gripping engagement with the said series of bending rolls comprises two sections, a first section in which both the inner and outer side edges of said metal'strips are engaged and asecond section in 

